Written Answers

Wednesday 12 April 2000

Scottish Executive

Children with Special Needs

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail the costs to individual local authorities of transport for children with special needs for each of the last three years.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The cost of transport for children with special needs is not identified separately in the expenditure returns submitted by local authorities to the Scottish Executive. Total expenditure by each education authority on home to school transport in financial year 1997-98 was given in my answer to your question S1W-4716.

Disabled People

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it is setting for the next five years in relation to the employment of people with disabilities.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is committed to increasing the number of staff with disabilities at all levels and will monitor progress by setting targets for improvement. Specific targets are being considered in the light of the UK-wide target for the Senior Civil Service of 3% which was announced on 8 March.

Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of students to computers in primary schools in each local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The Annual Survey of Information and Communications Technology, carried out across a sample of Scottish schools in October 1999, showed that the pupil:computer ratio in primary schools was 13:1. The ratio of pupils to modern computers was 23:1. A modern computer is defined as being less than four years old. Figures for each local authority area will be available when the results of the 1999 School Census are published. The situation is changing rapidly as the National Grid for Learning rolls out.

Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of students to computers in secondary schools in each local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The Annual Survey of Information and Communications Technology, carried out across a sample of Scottish schools in October 1999, showed that the pupil:computer ratio in secondary schools was 5:1. The ratio of pupils to modern computers was 8:1. A modern computer is defined as being less than four years old. Figures for each local authority area will be available when the results of the 1999 School Census are published.

Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by what process external finance limits and other borrowing limits for public agencies within its responsibility are decided and, in particular, what role Her Majesty’s Treasury has in the process.

Mr Jack McConnell: Scottish Ministers decide these limits, taking into account corporate plans of the bodies. Her Majesty's Treasury has no role in this process.

Health

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5135 by Susan Deacon on 22 March 2000, what provisions are made to allow individuals to continue to receive long-term treatment by a specialist health board area other than their local one.

Susan Deacon: There are no restrictions which would prevent a GP/clinician from referring a patient to a health board other than their health board of residence. Similarly there are no restrictions which would prevent a patient from receiving long term care from outwith their health board of residence. All referrals to health boards for specialist treatments are made on the basis of clinical need, and it would be a matter for the referring GP/clinician to decide on how best to address a patient's needs.

Health Boards

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the appointment procedure to local health boards.

Susan Deacon: The appointment of members to the boards of health boards and Trusts are made by me on behalf of Scottish Ministers. These appointments are made on merit, by fair and open process and are subject to independent assessment. Consideration is given to the balance of the boards and how they reflect their local communities. People can apply at any time for appointment to the boards of their local health board and Trusts: some appointments are also advertised in local and national newspapers. Applications and information can be obtained from the NHS Public Appointments Branch in the Scottish Executive.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to reviewing and developing the system for making public appointments in Scotland and I am already taking steps to improve the processes for NHS appointments. The Executive issued its consultation document on public appointments on 9 February 2000 inviting views about a number of key issues and underlining its commitment to making public appointments in Scotland more representative of Scottish society. This consultation was further discussed in the parliamentary debate on 30 March 2000.

Health Education

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives exist to encourage schools to promote healthy eating.

Peter Peacock: Advice provided by the Scottish Executive gives health education, including nutritional education, a secure place within the curriculum and seeks to ensure that it is provided in all schools. Support materials to assist schools include materials on nutritional education.

  The Scottish Diet Action Plan Eating for Health made a number of recommendations and included nutritional guidelines for catering specifications for the public sector, targeted primarily at pre-school and school age children.

  The primary responsibility for the delivery and management of nutritional education within the curriculum, the quality of school meals and the provision of any additional services such as breakfast clubs rests with authorities.

Health Expenditure

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much extra funding, earmarked for health and generated by the increase in tobacco duty announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2000-01 budget, it will receive and what percentage share of the amount available over the UK as a whole this figure represents.

Susan Deacon: An additional £2 billion, including extra resources resulting from the increase in tobacco duty, was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the budget. Scotland is to receive, in line with the Barnett formula, additional funding of £173 million in 2000-01, 8.64% of the UK total. £26 million of the additional funding is to be earmarked to support health improvements and public health initiatives.

Health Expenditure

Ms Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the recent increases in health expenditure tackle geographical health inequalities, particularly in Glasgow.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive recognises that priority must be given to tackling the legacy of health inequalities that Scotland has inherited. This informs our approach to resource allocation and a key aim of the current review of the formula by which resources are allocated between health boards is to ensure that resource distribution reflects underlying healthcare needs.

  At local level, health boards are required already to set out their plans for using their resources to meet the healthcare needs of their populations, including tackling health inequalities, in their Health Improvement Plans (HIPs). In relation to Glasgow, Greater Glasgow Health Board’s HIP, together with its recent restructuring and its engagement with strategic partnerships, reflect a strong commitment to tackling health inequalities.

  Following its decision that the additional resources made available as a result of the increase in tobacco duty should be allocated to health spending, the Scottish Executive has also announced an intention to target £26 million to measures to reinforce the drive to improve public health.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the rights of private rented sector tenants in the forthcoming housing bill and to give local authorities the power to prosecute private landlords in cases of alleged illegal eviction.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Where private sector tenants are unlawfully evicted, legal remedies are available to them through civil action, arising from breach of contract by the landlord. In addition, the Procurator Fiscal can prosecute the private landlord for the summary offence of unlawful eviction.

  I have therefore not published any new proposals to use the Housing Bill for change in this area. However, the Homelessness Task Force is engaged in detailed consideration of the nature and causes of homelessness in Scotland, including homelessness arising from the private rented sector.

Information Technology

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to monitor how much of its correspondence and publication and distribution of documents is carried out electronically (a) internally and (b) to other bodies and individuals.

Mr Jack McConnell: Internal correspondence, publication and distribution of documents is normally carried out electronically, via e-mail, shared file facilities and the Executive’s Intranet. By the summer, letters sent to Ministers, where official advice is sought, should be handled as electronic images within the Executive. Where external correspondents send e-mail, replies from officials of the Executive are normally sent electronically. Many members of the public do not have (or do not supply) e-mail addresses when corresponding with the Executive, and this constrains our ability to respond electronically. All Scottish Executive publications are routinely made available on the website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/recent.asp.

  Levels of readership of the Internet and the Intranet websites are regularly measured.

Justice

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training do (a) Procurator Fiscals and (b) temporary sheriffs receive in crash scene interpretation and whether any changes are proposed.

Colin Boyd QC: Procurators Fiscal have the benefit of a wide training calendar at both national and regional level. Matters relating to road traffic accidents are addressed from time to time in the training programme and, especially at regional level, there are opportunities to learn from experts in accident investigation.

  Crash scene interpretation is a complex science and it would, of course, be unsafe for Procurators Fiscal to rely on their own limited training and skills in the matter. In relation to crash scene interpretation, as in relation to other subject areas requiring specialist knowledge and experience, Procurators Fiscal make extensive use of specialist advice from properly qualified experts.

  The use of temporary sheriffs has been suspended since 11 November 1999.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to rationalise the licensing laws.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review and amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 or whether it has any plans for a new Licensing (Scotland) Bill.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to review and amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, or to introduce a new Licensing (Scotland) Bill.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend the licensing system so that licensed premises are covered by one set of licences and the licensee by another set.

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend the law to give tenants of licensed premises greater security of tenure.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976.

Lip Reading

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers of lip-reading are attached to Hospital Trusts in Scotland.

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, broken down by trust board area, the numbers of suitably qualified lip-readers currently working in Scottish hospitals.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government Expenditure

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the costs incurred by each local authority in each of the last three years in running (a) school buses and (b) mobile libraries.

Mr Sam Galbraith: School buses are, for the most part, run by independent operators under contract to local authorities. Information on the cost of running school buses is not identified separately, but total home to school transport expenditure in financial year 1997-98 is shown in the following table. Such expenditure information for the two following years is not yet available. Information on the cost of running mobile libraries is not collected centrally.

  Current expenditure by education authorities on home to school transport

  


1997-98

  



Councils

  

£000 

  at outturn prices

  



Aberdeen 

  City

  

2,054

  



Aberdeenshire

  

7,681

  



Angus

  

1,195

  



Argyll & 

  Bute

  

3,353

  



Clackmannanshire

  

569

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway

  

2,067

  



Dundee City

  

576

  



East Ayrshire

  

2,407

  



East Dunbartonshire

  

1,416

  



East Lothian

  

1,222

  



East Renfrewshire

  

1,445

  



Edinburgh, 

  City of

  

3,338

  



Eilean Siar

  

1,548

  



Falkirk

  

1,657

  



Fife

  

5,187

  



Glasgow 

  City

  

4,423

  



Highland

  

6,606

  



Inverclyde

  

729

  



Midlothian

  

1,041

  



Moray

  

1,771

  



North Ayrshire

  

2,321

  



North Lanarkshire

  

4,188

  



Orkney Islands

  

894

  



Perth & 

  Kinross

  

3,073

  



Renfrewshire

  

2,050

  



Scottish 

  Borders

  

2,353

  



Shetland 

  Islands

  

1,060

  



South Ayrshire

  

1,655

  



South Lanarkshire

  

4,989

  



Stirling

  

1,419

  



West Dunbartonshire

  

1,126

  



West Lothian

  

2,241

  



SCOTLAND

  

77,654

  



  Notes:

  1. Figures represent net revenue expenditure on home to school transport, covering direct provision (including salaries and wages), fares paid by authorities, contract hire and other forms of transport.

  2. As reported by authorities on their Local Financial Returns (LFR 1) for 1997-98.

Local Government Finance

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) when general permission for local authorities to generate additional section 94 borrowing consent through the capitalisation of long leases ended, (b) whether it still has any discretionary powers to permit the capitalisation of long leases for such purposes, (c) whether it has exercised any such powers since the general permission was withdrawn and (d) what criteria are used to determine whether such discretionary consent is granted.

Mr Jack McConnell: The provision to generate notional receipts from the capitalisation of long leases where a local authority is the lessor was withdrawn on 31 March 1996. Local authorities, as lessees, can still generate notional receipts on termination of their interest in a long lease. There is no provision to allow capitalisation of long leases under any other circumstances.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital debt was owed by each of Scotland’s local authorities at the end of each of the last three financial years for which figures were available.

Mr Jack McConnell: The total capital debt outstanding reported by each council and joint board for the past three financial years is shown in the following table.

  Local Authority Capital Debt Outstanding 1996-97/1998-99

  


Local Authority

  

1996-97

  

1997-98

  

1998-991







£ 

  million

  

£ 

  million

  

£ 

  million

  



Aberdeen 

  City

  

 376

  

 369

  

 370

  



Aberdeenshire

  

 356

  

 356

  

 361

  



Angus

  

 97

  

 99

  

 100

  



Argyll & 

  Bute

  

 212

  

 220

  

 223

  



Clackmannanshire

  

 68

  

 70

  

 72

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway

  

 271

  

 274

  

 275

  



Dundee City

  

 267

  

 273

  

 275

  



East Ayrshire

  

 178

  

 183

  

 188

  



East Dunbartonshire

  

 121

  

 123

  

 122

  



East Lothian

  

 143

  

 142

  

 143

  



East Renfrewshire

  

 80

  

 83

  

 87

  



Edinburgh, 

  City of

  

 848

  

 839

  

 835

  



Eilean Siar

  

 163

  

 166

  

 167

  



Falkirk

  

 198

  

 197

  

 198

  



Fife

  

 472

  

 477

  

 480

  



Glasgow 

  City

  

 2,069

  

 2,075

  

 2,098

  



Highland

  

 531

  

 537

  

 540

  



Inverclyde

  

 209

  

 213

  

 218

  



Midlothian

  

 99

  

 96

  

 95

  



Moray

  

 138

  

 142

  

 146

  



North Ayrshire

  

 196

  

 203

  

 204

  



North Lanarkshire

  

 502

  

 495

  

 477

  



Orkney Islands

  

 17

  

 17

  

 19

  



Perth & 

  Kinross

  

 141

  

 141

  

 145

  



Renfrewshire

  

 286

  

 289

  

 291

  



Scottish 

  Borders

  

 194

  

 201

  

 208

  



Shetland 

  Islands

  

 61

  

 61

  

 60

  



South Ayrshire

  

 147

  

 154

  

 157

  



South Lanarkshire

  

 506

  

 497

  

 483

  



Stirling

  

 145

  

 143

  

 146

  



West Dunbartonshire

  

 188

  

 187

  

 188

  



West Lothian

  

 216

  

 210

  

 207

  



Joint 

  Board

  



Central 

  Fire

  

 6

  

 7

  

 8

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway Fire 

  

 4

  

 5

  

 5

  



Fife Fire 

  

  

 6

  

 7

  

 7

  



Grampian 

  Fire

  

 9

  

 11

  

 11

  



Highland 

  & Islands Fire

  

 11

  

 12

  

 13

  



Lothian 

  & Borders Fire

  

 15

  

 17

  

 18

  



Strathclyde 

  Fire

  

 37

  

 41

  

 43

  



Tayside 

  Fire

  

 7

  

 8

  

 8

  



Central 

  Police

  

 5

  

 6

  

 6

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway Police 

  

 8

  

 8

  

 9

  



Fife Police 

  

  

 14

  

 16

  

 16

  



Grampian 

  Police

  

 14

  

 13

  

 12

  



Lothian 

  & Borders Police

  

 20

  

 20

  

 20

  



Northern 

  Police

  

 13

  

 15

  

 20

  



Strathclyde 

  Police

  

 45

  

 48

  

 49

  



Tayside 

  Police

  

 9

  

 10

  

 11

  



Forth Bridge

  

 0

  

 0

  

 0

  



Tay Bridge

  

 10

  

 11

  

 13

  



Strathclyde 

  Passenger Transport Auth.

  

 42

  

 47

  

 51

  



  Source: The information is taken from the Capital Debt Outstanding return which is completed annually by councils and joint boards. This includes debt for General Fund Services and Trading Services and Housing Revenue Account debt.

  Notes:

  1. These figures may be revised as a result of audit requirements.

Objective 3 Funding

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was received from the Department for Education and Employment to act as public expenditure cover for Objective 3 in each year since 1990.

Mr Jack McConnell: Following the transfer of responsibility for the Objective 3 programme in Scotland in 1995, the Department for Education and Employment (formerly the Department of Employment) transferred £21.55 million in financial year 1995-96, £25.15 million in 1996-97 and thereafter £28.1 million per annum on an ongoing basis to the Scottish budget.

Police

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what formula is used to calculate the total funding for each police force; who devised the formula; whether and when it is being reviewed, and by whom.

Mr Jack McConnell: Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) allowances for police services are included within the calculation of the annual local government finance settlement. Police GAE is distributed largely on the basis of force strength (adjusted to take account of the additional costs of serving rural areas) and force expenditure commitments (e.g. on pensions). The current formula was agreed in 1996 following a review with CoSLA and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS). Details are provided in the Grant Aided Expenditure 2000-1 Green Book , copies of which are held by SPICe.

  A joint review group, including Scottish Executive, CoSLA and ACPOS representatives, is currently considering the development of a new needs-based formula for the distribution of police GAE.

Property Ownership

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop industrial land in its, its agencies’ or other Scottish public bodies’ ownership at Monktonhill Farm, Monkton.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire owns part of the land at Monktonhill Farm, Monkton. This land forms part of an 85 acre business park development that is situated immediately to the north of Prestwick Airport and to the west of Monkton Village. This site was acquired by Scottish Enterprise, on behalf of Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, from CWS Limited in 1999 and is currently agricultural land.

  The planning application for the business park is currently with South Ayrshire Council and, subject to the planning process, it is anticipated that the first phase of infrastructure will start in autumn 2000. The first serviced plots should be available in spring 2001 and the total investment in infrastructure will be £5 million over the next 18 months.

Property Ownership

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what property it, its agencies or other Scottish public bodies own at the Shawfarm Industrial Estate, Prestwick, and what plans it has for any such property.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise owns 25 acres of land at Shawfarm/Prestwick International Industrial Park. This site has been allocated for runway related use to facilitate the long-term potential of Prestwick Airport. Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire plans to sell this land to Prestwick Airport in April, on behalf of Scottish Enterprise.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish an analysis of the political affiliations of all applicants for public appointments since May 1999, including a breakdown into successful and unsuccessful applications.

Mr Jack McConnell: Details of the political activities of all applicants for public appointments are not held centrally. However, details of the political activities of successful applicants are provided on a quarterly basis to the Commissioner for Public Appointments for inclusion in her Annual Report. The Commissioner’s Code of Practice requires all applicants to declare their political activities in terms of the following three categories:

  Category A:

  Applicants who have:

  obtained office as a Local Councillor, MP, MSP, MEP etc;

  stood as a candidate for one of the above offices;

  spoken on behalf of a party or candidate.

  Category B:

  Applicants who have:

  acted as a political agent;

  held office such as Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary of a local branch of a party;

  canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at elections;

  undertaken any other political activity which they consider relevant.

  Category C:

  Applicants for whom none of the above activities apply.

  In the majority of cases, individuals appointed to public bodies are not, and have not been, politically active. During the period from 1 April 1999 to 31 December 1999, a total of 186 appointments were made by Scottish Office/Scottish Executive Ministers. Of this total, 142 appointees came within the scope of Category C, 18 within the scope of Category A and 26 within the scope of Category B.

  The most recent published figures showing a breakdown of political activities by appointee are contained in the Commissioner’s Fourth Annual Report.

Public Appointments

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward an amending order to the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc.) Order 2000 providing that any person whose appointment as a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund is on the ground of a connection with Scotland must demonstrate either a residence connection with Scotland or special knowledge of Scotland and that such a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund may not be appointed without the consent of the Parliament, and only following consultation with the Parliament.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive and the United Kingdom Government have no plans to bring forward any such amending order.

Rates

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has supplied to business ratepayers on the revaluation of non-domestic rates which came into effect on 1 April 2000.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is producing three explanatory leaflets dealing with various aspects of the revaluation, including the appeal procedure and transitional arrangements. I have issued copies of the first two leaflets to all MSPs and have asked officials to provide copies of the other leaflet when it is available.

Schizophrenia

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities and NHS Trusts relating to the support and care of sufferers from schizophrenia and how this guidance is made available.

Iain Gray: Recent guidance to the NHS, local authorities and others on care, management, support and services for those suffering from mental illness including schizophrenia includes:

  A Good Practice Statement for People Affected by Schizophrenia, 1995, Scottish Executive Clinical Resource and Audit Group;

  Care Programme Approach, 1996, Scottish Executive;

  Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland, published 1997, Scottish Executive;

  Psychosocial Interventions in the Management of Schizophrenia, 1998, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.

  Publication arrangements varied and wide distribution to appropriate bodies applied. Copies are available from the source or on the Internet at www.scotland.gov.uk or www.show.scot.nhs.uk

  The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland are also developing draft standards focusing on the care and treatment of people with schizophrenia.

Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of its timetable for the implementation of the recommendations of the report by the Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel and whether it will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has already implemented many of the recommendations of the report by the Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel and is currently considering the timetable for implementing the remaining recommendations.

Scottish Rehabilitation Technology Forum

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5135 by Susan Deacon on 22 March 2000, (a) who the members of the Scottish Rehabilitation Technology Forum are, (b) from where the members have been drawn; (c) whether there are any end-user members in the Forum and (d) how long the Forum has been established.

Susan Deacon: The majority of the activities of the Scottish Rehabilitation Technology Forum (SCOTRET) are undertaken by its four sub-groups: Orthotics, Prosthetics, Wheelchairs and Seating and Electronic Assistive Technology. Membership of the sub-groups is multidisciplinary and includes surgeons, therapists, prosthetists/orthotists and clinical engineers from each of the main Mobility and Rehabilitation Technology Centres in Scotland who are active in the sub-group areas of rehabilitation technology provision. Scottish Healthcare Supplies, who have responsibility for arranging central contracts for the NHS in Scotland, are also involved in the work of the sub-groups.

  SCOTRET also have a Co-ordinating Group chaired by Mr David Condie, Rehabilitation Engineering Services Manager, Tayside Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Technology Centre, which comprises the Directors/Managers of the five Scottish rehabilitation technology centres and the Convenors of the four sub-groups. The Co-ordinating Group monitors the activities of the four sub-groups and addresses issues which cut across disciplines.

  SCOTRET was established in July 1997 as an association of Scottish NHS providers of rehabilitation technology and as such does not include any end users of the service in its membership. Patient end users are however included on the Rehabilitation Technology Services Advisory Group (ReTSAG), which is chaired by the Scottish Executive and also includes representatives from the SCOTRET Co-ordinating Group in its membership.

  A copy of the SCOTRET Constitution and current Co-ordinating Group membership list has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, as has the remit and membership of ReTSAG.

Speech Therapy

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to increase access to training opportunities for people wishing to pursue a career in the provision of speech and language therapy.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is promoting more flexible access routes to professions such as speech and language therapy and will be discussing this with professional, educational and staff representative bodies.

Waste Management

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland is on course to meet the waste management objectives as laid out in the EU Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EEC) and the Environment Act 1995.

Sarah Boyack: Yes. The Waste Framework Directive requires member states to encourage the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste, or the use of waste as a source of energy, to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health or harming the environment, and to establish an adequate network of disposal installations. Member states are also required to draw up waste management plans that show how they will attain these objectives. For Scotland, this duty was given to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency as laid out in the Environment Act 1995. Last year Scotland became the first UK country to launch its Waste Strategy. On the 9 December 1999 I announced to the Parliament the launch of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland and adopted it on behalf of the Executive.

Young People

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made regarding the introduction of identity cards to provide proof of age for young people when purchasing alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets or fireworks.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive and CoSLA are working together on the introduction of a card that will incorporate a wide range of functions to give young people easy access to local authority services such as libraries, leisure and recreational facilities and reduced access to travel costs. It is anticipated that an integral part will be to provide proof of age, which will enable retailers to screen the sales of age-restricted products, such as alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, and fireworks to young people. The technical development of this "one card" approach is being taken forward as part of the Young Scot youth information and discount package. It is hoped to commence the first pilots of this new style card by the beginning of next year.